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2023 Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

12 Ranked Colleges
884 Degrees Awarded
$11,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

Chemical Engineering is the 70th most popular major in the country with 12,917 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, chemical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $65,870 and had an average of $23,285 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 884 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $66,793 and $23,617 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 12 colleges that offer a degree in chemical engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality chemical engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the chemical engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 12 Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

1
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 85 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $2,446 for plains states region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WUSTL.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at WUSTL

2

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #2 spot on the list. UMN Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 137 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $8,609 for plains states region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 136 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State also took the #3 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State University is $11,427 for plains states region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa State Chemical Engineering Report

4

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #4 spot on the list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in Rolla, Missouri. It awarded 120 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri University of Science and Technology also took the #4 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $9,820 for Plains States Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

5

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #5 spot on the list. UMN Duluth is a medium-sized school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 54 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Duluth, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMN Duluth is $8,697 for plains states region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of Minnesota - Duluth

6

University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 44 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $11,386 for plains states region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Mizzou Chemical Engineering Report

7
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

With a ranking of #7, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UND is a fairly large public school situated in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It awarded 45 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Dakota is $13,151 for Plains States Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at UND

8

University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a large public school situated in Lincoln, Nebraska. It awarded 37 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

UNL also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $13,453 for plains states region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNL.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at UNL

9
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chem eng degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.

Iowa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $15,508 for Plains States Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Iowa.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Iowa Chemical Engineering Report

10
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #10, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Manhattan, Kansas, and it awarded 59 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at K -State, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,653 for plains states region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend K -State.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at K -State

11
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. KU is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 69 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

KU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Kansas is $16,288 for plains states region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at KU

12

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it awarded 42 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SD Mines, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SD Mines is $16,736 for Plains States Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at SD Mines

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